PHOTOS: Jennifer Lopez Wears A Jockstrap In V Magazine

Though we wouldn’t exactly call her life hard, Jennifer Lopez certainly hasn’t had an easy time of it lately. First she got divorced, then she had a somewhat debatable wardrobe malfunction on stage at the Oscars! Which means the next logical move is to appear on the cover of a major fashion magazine dressed up like a boxer. (Because she’s a fighter, get it?) Anyway, she’s wearing a jockstrap and can we just say: who knew crotch padding could look so good?

Well, Lopez, for one. In the accompanying article (written by the inimitable Robin Givhan), we learn that Lopez actually opted for the padding.

When given her choice of groin protectors — those daunting don’t-mess-with-me-anatomical cups– in black (the men’s version) or red (the women’s), she preferred the men’s style. “I thought it was more graphic.”

Was it that straightforward, really? A woman in full-blown menswear even now has an added element of strength. A cross- gender image in boxing garb suggests a heightened sense of self-assuredness, power, and swagger. “It did make me feel tougher,” she admits.